The joys of you
by you-make-me-wander
Summary: Scorpius comes back home after being four years away studying wandlore. Finding Astoria already affected by the curse that will most likely kill her, Scorpius must learn how to deal with the impending loss and grief it'll bring, reconnecting with old friends and family, and with making sure that Rose knows that he's never stopped loving her.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hello, everyone! :)

This is my first time writing for the HP fandom, even though I've been a fanfiction author for almost four years.

You'll find plenty of familiar characters both from the Hogwarts and the Next-gen eras in this fic. Not wanting to spoil, I won't lie: it'll be dark as we approach Astoria's impending demise, but it's a tale mostly about friendship and family and romance, and how everyone coming together to try and save Astoria might just be lead to her salvation, despite how hard it is to put one's feelings aside for someone else's welfare.

No matter how dark it'll get, I hope you'll still see the humor in the story, and that you enjoy the several plots and characters I have in mind for it.

Lastly, this is only slightly canon divergent, as I'm keeping pretty much everything that has happened in HP and the Cursed Child aside from Astoria still being alive.

It's rated Mature for sexual content in later chapters and mild swearing.

Enjoy xx  
\- Susana

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"Oh,  
Whatever comes,  
It's not the end."

\- Blue, _Hurt Lovers_

Scorpius steps through the window of Purge and Dowse, Ltd., raking a hand through his blond locks to shake the droplets of water that the weather outside settled on his effortlessly styled hair. Finding himself at the reception of the St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, he heads for the front desk. There, the Welcome Witch - a middle-aged woman with long, thick gray hair and dark eyes - greets him with a kind smile.

Before the young man can say anything, the witch indicates that the Fourth Floor is where he wants to go. She points to her left, towards the elevators at the end of a long hallway, showing him the way. Scorpius is quick to thank her and evade the look of pity and recognition in the woman's eyes; in hers and the rest of the small crowd that's on the busy ground floor.

Everybody knows of him, of his family. And so, of course, everybody knows of his mother.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , pure-blood. Born into the Greengrass family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , loving wife of Draco Malfoy despite the disappointment of both families about how Draco's and Astoria's points of view on pure-blood supremacy changed after the Battle.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , caring mother of Scorpius Malfoy, only child, determined to change her son's life the way she wishes hers and Draco's had when they were younger.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , fated to die from a curse that has afflicted her blood lineage for several generations.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , incurable.

Scorpius is still waiting for the elevator when his hands start to feel tingly, his skin itching with energy. As he ascends to the upper level of the building, Scorpius finds himself anxious, trying his best to ignore the way that his own pulse starts to race.

As he pretends that his breath doesn't catch when he looks around the unfamiliar floor, the elevator doors open to reveal a rather empty corridor. A dozen doors line down the hallway on each side, and in front of him three nurses busy themselves with parchments as they chat amongst themselves in whispers.

Making his way over to the desk, Scorpius politely interrupts the women. "Excuse me," he says, catching their attention. "I'm Scorpius Malfoy. I was wondering if you could tell me where I can find-"

One of the nurses speaks before the others can. She's older than the Welcome Witch, about half of Scorpius' height, and has pronounced facial features that soften slightly when she recognizes him and realizes why the young man is there. "Of course, dear. She's in Room 478," she tells him, leaving her place behind the desk to rest a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm Nurse Goode. Why don't I take you to her?," she offers, leading the way down the hallway to his right.

As they walk through corridor after corridor of the Incurable Wing, a part of him feels sick at the thought that while he is just starting to endure the pity looks and empathetic reactions from the people around him, his mother must have had enough of it to last her a lifetime. Diagnosed for over two years, Scorpius barely has a clue about how his mother is handling everything. Finding out that the affliction Astoria was fated with doesn't have a known treatment, that life expectancy after the first symptoms and proper diagnosis is on average of only a couple of years or so, and that when her time comes barely any warnings can prepare her loved ones for her demise...

Scorpius doesn't know for how long he and the nurse walk, let alone the path they're taking. He doesn't realize that his hands are shaking until the witch stops on her tracks a minute later, making Scorpius come to a halt with her.

"Here we are," she announces quietly, gesturing to the room on their left. "Room 478. Visiting hours don't start until an hour from now but I think, given the circumstances, that no one will mind to make the exception for you. A Healer should stop by shortly to do the rounds but in the meantime, should you find your mother in any discomfort, please call out and someone will come to your aid immediately," she explains to him in one breath. "No giving her any food or beverages unless cleared by the medical staff, and should you have with you any gifts to present her with, they'll need to be cleared as well. Do you understand, Mr. Malfoy?"

The way she recites the rules so assertively reminds Scorpius of old Professor McGonagall. He only wishes that the nurse could instill in him the same sense of security that the Headmistress has always been known to carry around. Scorpius nods in response. "Yes, Ma'am. And I've got nothing on me," he murmurs sadly, realizing that he should have thought of something ahead of time. "I just got back. Came right over to visit her, you see?"

Nurse Goode inclines her head curtly in acknowledgment. "Very well, Mr. Malfoy. Then I should leave you to it." She makes to walk way but then notices the young man fidgeting, worry showing in his gray eyes. "And dear," she says in a softer tone, lightly squeezing his arm, "if you need a moment, there's a waiting area down the hallway."

Scorpius thanks the witch for her kindness and watches as she leaves. Having no intent of going to the waiting room but showing apprehension at opening the door in front of him as well, Scorpius stands in place for a moment until resolve washes over him.

He's been away for over four and a half years; he doesn't want to waste any more precious time. So gently knocking on the door, Scorpius patiently waits for a response until he hears _her_ voice a moment later, and then he doesn't hesitate in going in anymore.

His mother looks almost the same as he remembers. The lustrous dark hair that she's always kept so perfectly arranged, even now falling graciously down her shoulders. Her slender, ever well-composed figure even despite being on an hospital bed, sitting back and reading a book with a poise worthy of someone whose name and blood status precedes her. The same old twinkle in her soft brown eyes as if Scorpius had just gotten home after being out and she'd missed him terribly, even if he'd been away for only a short period of time like when he was younger and had been out playing with his friends.

But Scorpius hasn't been away for only a couple of hours. He has been away for far longer than that, and so he can also see how the curse has worn out his mother over time. How her hair isn't as shiny. How she lost some weight despite it being, he believes, almost unnoticeable to a stranger's eye. Not to mention how tired her eyes seem even when she realizes that he's there.

" _Scorpius_?" There's a pause during which they just stare at each other, as if they're savoring a moment that they have been waiting for for a long time. Astoria puts her book away and her voice quivers, unbelieving. "Merlin! Scorpius, is it you?"

Scorpius lets out a sigh of relief when he hears her voice up close, so warm and inviting. He's missed home for too long. Shortening the distance between them with a couple of wide, fast strides, Scorpius throws himself at her open arms for a hug that is long, long overdue. "Mom!"

Astoria's voices wavers again when she replies, incredulous at what's happening. "Scorpius, _it is you_!"

Scorpius chuckles and holds on tight, taking a moment to enjoy his mother's embrace even if he notes how her grip isn't as strong as he remembers it. When he pulls back, Astoria tears up at the memories that her son's kind smile always brings. "I should think you would still recognize me. I haven't changed that much," Scorpius jokes, himself wiping a stray tear from the corner of his eye.

Astoria adjusts on the bed and leans back against her pillow. Scorpius quickly moves around the room to close the door and give them some privacy. Dragging an armchair closer to the bed, he sits and leans forward to hold his mother's hand in both of his.

"I thought you were only coming back by the end of next month!," she explains her astonishment.

Scorpius doesn't tell his mother why he hadn't wanted to wait any longer. Instead, he reckons that he isn't the only one who is nervous; her hand is trembling too. "I wanted to surprise you," he confesses, and really it isn't a lie. It just isn't the whole truth. "I've missed you. Both you and Dad, everyone else... I've been gone for too long."

Astoria dismisses his unhappy tone, utterly glad that her boy is finally back home. "Nonsense. You know this job was important, Scorpius," she starts, and despite the pride that he can hear in her words, Scorpius can tell that, deep down, a part of her didn't want him to leave at all to begin with.

Still, it had been Astoria's idea. Or at least, it had been her encouragement that ultimately made Scorpius take the opportunity to become an apprentice to one of the most important and selective careers in the Wizarding World.

Having been incredibly impressed with Scorpius' marks on his O.W.L.s, and after a very complementing letter of recommendation from Professor McGonagall herself, Scorpius had been personally invited to a private meeting with Mr. Ollivander over the Christmas break of his sixth year. The Headmistress had praised Scorpius' innate curiosity and shown interest in wandlore, which McGonagall knew very well about. After all, Scorpius always had to ask for permission to consult books in the Restricted Section, and given the nature of his interests the authorization had to come from the Headmistress herself, much to Madam Pince's dismay while she was the school's librarian.

At the Headmistress' recommendation, Mr. Ollivander had taken upon himself to see if the Malfoy boy, who had just turned 17 the month before, showed any talent with a wand.

And Merlin, was Mr. Ollivander impressed.

The second that Scorpius entered the shop and followed the old wandmaker to the small room in the back, Mr. Ollivander _knew_. Not only several of the wands reacted to Scorpius' presence as soon as he crossed the threshold, but the young wizard had shown an innate affinity to explore the shop by himself. Mr. Ollivander hadn't needed to say much; Scorpius started wandering about on his own, collecting and inspecting the wands that seemed to be calling for him. After a few seconds of examining each wand, Scorpius guessed the components of all of them right.

After an afternoon full of fascinating discussions on wandlore, Mr. Ollivander promised him that if he studied hard, Scorpius would have a wandcraft apprenticeship waiting for him when he finished his Seventh year.

Astoria can't remember another time when Scorpius had gotten home so radiant, with a beam that almost blinded from how warm and bright it was.

Well, maybe just one other time. One that concerned a certain red-haired girl. In fact, a red-haired girl that-

Her train of thought is suddenly interrupted. " _You_ are important to me too," Scorpius continues in a murmur, and Astoria can tell that he's concerned about her condition. Having been away for so long, with barely any permission for communication with the outside world while throwing himself at the most adventurous, and sometimes dangerous, situations had to have taken its toll on him. Circe knows it did on her and Draco. "Mom, I-"

Astoria stretches her arm and ruffles his hair until it's unruly, the same way she always did when he was no more than a little wizard. " _I_ wanted you to go, Scorpius." For a moment she thinks that he's going to argue but instead Scorpius settles, too relieved to finally be here to start another argument, like the ones they'd had before Astoria had to practically beg him to leave. "It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and you know that."

Scorpius worries his lower lip and looks down, briefly lost in thought. "I know," he whispers, and he only meets his mother's gaze when she tilts his chin up, noticing how more concern is seeping into his features as the seconds go by. "But you shouldn't have guilt-tripped me into it." Which, in truth, Astoria kind of had. "I was away for so long. What if you-"

Astoria doesn't let him finish the sentence. She knows where he's going with this. "I'm still here. Isn't that what matters?"

That _still_ stings him, burns him inside but Scorpius decides to let it go for now, nodding mutely in response.

"Now, tell me all about you," she says softly, leaning on her side to give him her undivided attention. "I want to know why you're back early and how the apprenticeship went. I want to hear all about your adventures."

His mother has always been good at deflecting the subject, Scorpius thinks idly. She's always known how to make things about everyone else but herself.

Before he can decide whether to indulge his mother's curiosity for her sake, or to deny it in favor of finding out more about her condition and how she's feeling for his own, or to ask about his father even, the sound of footsteps and voices and metallic clicking fill the room coming from the hallway.

At first, Scorpius thinks nothing much of it, assuming that rounds are starting, just like Nurse Good had said they would. But then his entire body stills.

Even after so many years of knowing _her_ , Scorpius still hasn't figured out why he can often be aware of her presence before actually seeing her. At the same time that a sense of peace settles in him, his heart starts beating faster and his mind slows down as if to prepare him for her arrival, like it usually does. Even though Scorpius has never been able to find a reasonable, logical explanation for it, it's never failed him. And so if it's happening right now, she has to be around somewhere.

 _Rose Weasley_ , the girl he's had a crush on since he was eleven years old and first laid his eyes on her.

 _Rose Weasley_ , the girl who matches her mother's brains and her father's temper, laced with a charm that is her own and that has always been irresistible to him.

 _Rose Weasley_ , his best friend's cousin and his own too, after they put aside their divergences following the events of their Fourth Year.

 _Rose Weasley_ , his girlfriend since the Summer before their Seventh Year until its end, almost exactly a year later.

 _Rose Weasley_ , the only girl Scorpius has ever had eyes for.

The only one he's ever loved.

He doesn't know why he is surprised at the feeling. He hasn't spoken to Rose ever since he left, sure, but he knew that she was going to become a Healer. So obviously, it would make sense for her to actually _be_ at St. Mungo's except that Scorpius had never really envisioned her there. He's always had bigger dreams for her than that...

If Scorpius hadn't been so self-centered in that moment thinking of _her_ , he would have likely noticed the sly smirk that tugged at his mother's lips suddenly, the devious glint in her eyes as she realized who was probably about to come in. Checking the old clock on the far wall, Astoria realizes that indeed it's time for rounds so she figures that she's probably right. Besides, Scorpius has always seemed slightly intuitive whenever Rose was about to walk into a room. For sure, Astoria believes, he and Rose share an unspoken connection, just like the one that she's grown very used to know herself.

Astoria's smug features turn to more innocent ones when Scorpius swiftly glances at her, as if wanting to share his suspicions. His mother shrugs noncommittally, like she has no idea what he could possibly be thinking about.

The facade lasts for exactly three seconds after that, the time that it takes for someone outside to knock on the door, not caring to wait too long to be invited in.

And in comes none other than Rose Weasley.

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A/N: Feel free to leave this wanderess witch a review to let me know what you're thinking.

Until next time xx  
\- Susana


	2. Chapter 2

"I swore to you my love would remain,  
And I swear it all over again."

\- Westlife, _Swear It Again_

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 **Author** **'s note** : Hi guys! Thank you so much for all the kind reviews, I'm really excited to continue this story. I had to be away for a while but I'm back now, so this story will steadily be updated once a week.

Rose introduces three subplots in this chapter as it's mostly written from her point of view, all of which will influence the main plot revolving around her and Scorpius.

I hope you enjoy :)

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Rose is always busy. Busy, busy, busy.

Busy tending to patients between the Emergency Room and the Incurables' Ward, busy dividing her time between the several projects she has in hands for her investigative research and her responsibilities to her patients as a Resident Healer, and busy dealing with the chaos that are her friends and family.

Really, she rarely has time for herself. Her life seems to be running around from one place to another these days, but Rose is okay with that. In fact, it's what she's wanted for a while now: a steady, mostly fulfilling job that keeps her occupied whenever her friends and family can't. It's the only way her mind can't catch up with memories and thoughts buried deep down.

So, like most of her shifts go, Rose finds herself in the Potions room this afternoon, constantly moving from one cauldron to another, exploring every corner of every cabinet as she looks for some new ingredient she can add in, reading the most controversial works in search for a cure while desperately not letting herself dwell too much in the main reason for her to be there.

Everything should be okay if Rose can just find a way to save _her_.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , one of the kindest, purest women Rose is lucky enough to ever have met.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , beautiful wife of Draco Malfoy, who has become as much a part of Rose's family as Astoria herself, at least where Rose is concerned.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , the older woman closest to Rose after her own mother and her aunt Ginny. A role model. In ways, a best friend.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , an old soul.

 _Astoria Malfoy_ , loving mother of…

 _Nope_ , Rose thinks to herself, _not going there_.

To ensure that her thoughts don't get away from her - even if, she knows, they will anyway -, Rose focuses more intently on the book before her, the most recent addition to her personal library. The title shines through, the gold lettering contrasting with the deep, dark green of the cover, _"The wonders of the herbal world: feats and tricks of the wise_ " mocking her.

Rose had acquired the book in a desperate attempt to try something new. Even though she's well aware that the work is a compendium of real life experiences of several well-known wizards and witches, and thus a lot of the reports just have to be exaggerated or fabricated entirely for publicity purposes (she certainly doubts that Gregory Davenport, former Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes and a total idiot in need of acknowledgment from the public - Merlin knows he wasn't getting it from the Ministry and with good reason -, really decided to eat the leaves of an entire Flutterby bush - recently discovered to be highly poisonous - and lived to tell the tale unscathed), Rose hopes that maybe one or two accounts may have a little bit of truth in them, and so they might give her something else to explore. Something new that she can study. Something that will give her the cure that Rose so wants to find.

She doesn't know if she has much time. With a typical, everyday curse, it's already hard to predict a course of action most times even if finding a cure is doable; it's within the realms of possibility.

With Incurables, who's to say?

Who is Rose, more than anyone who preceded her? What does she have that'll bring her closer to finding a solution than any Healer or Potioneer before her?

Feeling her eyes well with familiar tears, Rose bitterly grabs the book and shoves it into her purse that's on top of her assigned desk on the other side of the room, saving it for later. The little free time she does have has been all to her research lately, and tonight will be no different.

Rose glances over at the large clock on the wall to realize that rounds are about to start, and so it's the perfect time to talk to Astoria about the personal issue they've been discussing over the past week. Since visiting hours aren't starting until later, when Draco will surely be around, and because her shift for the day is ending in an hour, Rose looks over her shoulder to make sure that none of her colleagues are paying attention to what she's doing.

She's quick to retrieve a rectangular shaped box from inside her purse. Non-verbally casting the _Colovaria_ spell and making sure that the box now looks ordinary enough as it changes from its blue color to a bland, inconspicuous white (while most wizards still disregard the Muggle world and almost everything about it, someone in the building ought to recognize a standard pregnancy test if they see one), Rose shoves it into her pocket and gets to work.

Briefly sitting, Rose scribbles down a few comments on the current status of the three main potions she's working on, annotations that she'll leave for the colleagues who will take over the next shift so they can keep an eye on things while she's not there. Making a mental note to add Chizpurfle carapaces to one of the potions tomorrow if it keeps evolving as Rose expects it to, the redhead moves on to another task.

With a flick of her wand, little vials with contents of various colors, as well as medical supplies, float around the room to rest on the silver tray beside her, and Rose waits until she's sure it has everything she'll need for her rounds. Known for always being prepared, Rose takes great enjoyment in ensuring that she not only looks after their medical needs, but also her patients' personal ones. A sane mind is just as important as physical health, and like so the silver tray also bears a few sugary treats, a book and a magazine, joined by a couple of pillows that Rose levitates to follow her around.

Listening to the hallways coming to life with Healers and Nurses starting to busy themselves with their rounds, no doubt, Rose picks up the tray and heads for the corridor, making a right for Timmy's room.

Timmy is a sweet four year old boy that had the misfortune of being hit by a stray spell from a baby who couldn't control his magic. As a result, the young boy's memory keeps erasing every time he goes to sleep, and only his recollection of everything that happened before the incident stayed intact. To make matters worse, every time the boy tries too hard to recall his memories and his mind fights him, nasty looking burns seem to erupt all over his skin. Albeit small in size, perhaps just smaller than a knut, the rashes hurt Timmy to the point of passing out from the pain.

Worse still, is that the boy is a Muggle whose mother died after birth, whose dad was and still is considered a bastard to his wife's family, and whose grandparents are either away - on his father's side - or uncaring for the child altogether - on his mother's.

The incident happened after Ryan Bixby had left his son at the care of their neighbors, who have a kid just a little younger than Timmy, while he had to run to work for an emergency shift. His son had stayed with them before so really, Ryan never suspected something of the sort could happen. But had he known the other family was magical, maybe he wouldn't have left Timmy there. Had he known, perhaps it would be easier to accept now that magic existed, that he had to visit his son everyday in a magical hospital so unlike his own, that it seemed impossible to every Healer but Rose that Timmy could ever recover.

The man was miserable, to put it mildly. Not only had he lost the love of his life when she gave them their son, he'd been left to raise the boy on his own while working as a nurse on one of the busiest local hospitals. Trying his hardest at parenthood, Ryan was completely devastated about what had happened, and no one seemed capable of giving him answers that could appease his mind.

There isn't a hint of magic in their ancestry that Rose could find, and so she can't be sure why the spell had such a strong effect on little Timmy and still keeps affecting him so strongly. But that's the risk with baby wizards and witches, she knows, with their uncontrolled magic, added to the risk of exposing Muggles to magical children at such an young age. Timmy never really stood a chance.

Makes the choice of wanting, or not, to have children of her own all the more difficult for Rose, especially when she'd always thought that by now she'd already be a mother, or at least well on her way to it. Having developed an affection towards the little boy that even with her cousins Rose had never found before, not like this, Rose is just as determined to fix him up as she is to cure Astoria, despite how unbelieving her colleagues are that she'll succeed.

Timmy has been at St. Mungus for almost two months now and has been Rose's patient since day one, when the Edwards family came rushing in with the little boy to the Emergency Ward of St. Mungus where Rose was on call, terrified because the boy wouldn't wake up and had been hit by a spell they didn't recognize, his body marred with burn marks that seemed to be boiling on his skin. Ryan had only been brought in later.

Rose couldn't ever, if she tried, forget that day. Not the panicking Edwards family, nor the wrecked looked on Ryan's face when all that happened was explained to him, and of course never little Timmy's body on the stretcher, so limp and helpless that it made her heart ache.

It still does, Rose realizes with a heavy sigh, when she enters his private room now and sees how his skin is stained by scars that Rose isn't so sure will go away, or how confused the boy looks when he spots her. It's bittersweet, she thinks, that the boy always has a smile for her because he likes having visitors, and yet he can never remember her. Beside him, Ryan sits in an armchair, in his hands several different color pencils that he holds out to his son.

When Ryan's eyes meet hers today, Rose sees nothing but void and she gulps, knowing that the man is on the verge of breaking down entirely.

Just another tragedy waiting to happen.

Rose is quick to fill in the silence, afraid of what's to come of it. "I see you're up," Rose greets them with a kind smile. Closing the door behind her before the pillows come in levitating after her and leaving the silver tray on a cart just outside, keeping a single licorice wand on herself, Rose steps further into the room. "Did you have a good nap, Timmy?"

The boy looks up, eyes wide when he glances at his father as if asking for permission to reply to the stranger. Ryan looks up at Rose, trying his best to return the smile with one of his own but only managing what looks like a grimace, running a hand through his son's hair and nodding in encouragement.

Timmy, ever a lively four year old despite the predicament he's in, embarks in a fantastical, babbling tale about the dream he's had, and for a moment both Rose and Ryan forget all that is wrong and why the little boy is there. The story he seems so engaged in telling is magical, for the lack of a better description, and the boy comes alive narrating it, filling the room with a joyous purity that's hard to let go of.

Until, that is, the little boy asks Rose "Are you my doctor? What is your name?" so innocently that no matter how excited he had been just a moment ago, and how curious he always is to meet new members of the hospital staff like it's happened since he got there, Rose's blood runs cold and she can't help the sadness that overcomes her. Sharing a glance with Ryan, she knows he feels as helpless in that moment as she does.

She swallows the lump in her throat. "Yes, I am. My name is Rose."

"Like the flower?," he asks in astonishment.

In a way, Rose hates that the boy always asks her that. "Indeed."

"Cool," Timmy whispers in wonder, and Rose knows it's because he's never met anyone else with such a kind of name before her, and he can never remember meeting Rose.

She forces her smile to stay on her lips. "Tell me, Timmy. What are you drawing?"

The question and the ones that follow are mostly for the boy to focus on a response and, on a deeper level, to try and get him to remember what happened before he fell asleep since only his memories from before the incident seem to remain untouched. It's also a good distraction for Timmy not to notice Rose performing the routinely charms that check on his vitals, even if she does so without her wand, and to miss Rose dipping a licorice wand into an invigorating Potion when she steps outside for just long enough.

Rose replies to the little boy in kind, shooting another question here and there but mostly letting Timmy take over the conversation so that she can assess his neurological condition better. When she's finished, her eyes don't hide the mischief behind them. "And have you behaved, Timmy? Have you been a good boy to your father today?"

"I think so," the boy replies, his confusion noticeable when he tries to remember all that he's done that day.

Rose smiles genuinely and holds the treat behind her back, pointedly standing before the bed for Timmy to notice. "I hope you're telling the truth, Timmy."

His eyes widen and he leans on his side a little, trying to take a peak at what Rose is hiding. "What do you have there?"

Rose laughs wholeheartedly at his perkiness when Timmy hurries to kneel on the bed, his hands moving everywhere because he doesn't know what to do with them. "Oh, I don't know," Rose mumbles, feigning ignorance.

Timmy catches his father's eyes, looking for an ally. "Daddy, I've been a good boy. Tell Miss Rose."

Ryan Bixby isn't used to, Rose thinks, be an outwardly affectionate man, but Timmy is his Achilles heel, so when his son calls for him Ryan smiles affectionately and nods, even if his eyes tremble with the effort of not letting his tears fall. "He has," the man lets out, sounding tired. "Timmy did very well today."

The boy beams with the support like the proud daddy's boy that he is, and Rose can see Ryan break inside, can see the light dim a little more behind his eyes whenever he's faced with the truth that his boy might never recover.

As much as she loves her job, Rose wishes it was easier sometimes, hopes that she wasn't such an over-achiever that the worst, most difficult cases were assigned to her. Often times, she doesn't know how she stomachs it all, how she can compartmentalize every emotion that she feels. "Well, then if it's true, I think you deserve a little something as a reward. Am I right?"

Timmy nods vigorously. "Yes, Miss Rose. Please."

Rose can't help the gentle caress on the boy's cheek any more than her heart beating in her chest. "There you go," she murmurs, handing him the licorice, hating that the boy won't remember any of this tomorrow. Timmy grabs it and puts the sugary wand in his mouth instantly. "Now don't tell the other doctors about it. It'll be our little secret, alright?"

Timmy grins. "Thank you, Miss Rose," he mumbles in between bites.

"You're welcome. I'll see you again tomorrow." Rose almost wishes Timmy didn't look so innocent when he waves her goodbye; it breaks her heart. "Mr. Bixby, can I see you outside for a minute, please?"

Ryan follows Rose into the hallway until they're out of earshot, leaving the door ajar behind them. "How is he today? Any improvement?," the man asks right away, eyeing Rose's tray suspiciously.

Rose explains briefly that it's unfortunately more of the same. So long as he isn't straining to remember, everything seems to be fine with little Timmy. However when he focuses on memories lost, his body fights him and so far they still haven't been able to reverse the effects of whatever damned spell he's under. "This is the Potion of Vivid Dreaming," Rose tells him, pointing towards a couple of vials with a curious orange liquid inside.

"What is it for?" Ryan asks with a grimace. Having learned a lot about the magical world in the past weeks, the man still isn't too keen on anything he doesn't really know about.

Rose tries to explain its effects and her theory on it in a way that she hopes is understandable for Ryan. Because memories often play a big part in dreams, Rose came up with a variant of the Potion of Dreamless Sleep that counters it, one that induces vivid dreams. The goal is to intensify the experience of dreaming enough that, subconsciously, Timmy may recall real memories that will carry on to his conscious state.

It comes with risks, of course, that Rose explains too. Not only is it an experimental potion that hasn't been credited by the Ministry yet, so it requires parental consent, but also possible secondary effects haven't been thoroughly studied due to the lack of viable subjects such as Timmy that can partake in trials. There's also the possibility of occurring a vivid nightmare, should Timmy have one, and Rose isn't sure what his response would be to that except that he would most likely be terrified.

Uneasy about the explanation and apprehensively asking about the rashes that appear in Timmy's body whenever the spell manifests itself, Rose shows him a small jar with a light green concoction that she tells him it's _Essence of Vervain,_ that will ease the burning feeling and help with the healing of the scarred tissue.

Rose likes to think that she has a way with people. Everyone in her life has told her that, at some point or another, and she likes to think that it makes a difference. So when she explains to Ryan that she truly thinks this might be a step in the right direction, the man believes her sincerity and promises to think about giving her permission to go through with it.

Sparing another moment to ask him how he himself is doing and giving Ryan a Sleeping Draught to get some rest, Rose leaves the man with a new coloring book for Timmy and instructions to find a nurse during the night shift if he agrees to go through with the experimental treatment, so that he can sign the consent and the nurses can go through with it. A few words of encouragement offered, Rose goes on her way.

Usually, and despite being bittersweet, Rose walks away from Timmy's room with a smile on her lips and a renewed hope in her capabilities. Other days, however, beat her down, and this is one of them.

She's still confident that she'll save the little boy and his small family, the same way she's just resolute to save Astoria.

As she makes her way to room 478, Rose's mind wanders to all the hours she has invested in research for both cases, to all the sleepless nights she spent in between books and ingredient cabinets and no good experimentations, loathing that so far she hasn't made that much of a progress on either end.

She's glad to have been made Resident Healer in the past year, though. It had been a strike of good luck, plus unwavering good faith from her mentor to be chosen for such an important position at such an young age, even if Rose had already baffled the board of St. Mungus several times with her incredible skills and hard work as a relentless researcher and kindness with her patients by then. Being given free reign to start her own research revolving Astoria's condition hadn't been all that hard, in truth, and Rose feels most grateful for it.

She wants Astoria to be healthy again, and safe, and the vibrant woman Rose met all those years ago. She wants to know that Astoria will garden again, wants to spend time with her outside the hospital once more, and to know that the woman can go home to her husband to maintain and strengthen their beautiful marriage. Rose wants Astoria to be happy and as loved as she should be, and for her to be here for Scorpius when he gets back. Rose wants Astoria alive more than anything, and not only for the woman and Draco and even herself, as Rose selfishly makes herself believe are the only reasons, but also for _him_.

Always for him.

Scorpius would be devastated if he was to return home only to find out that his mother had passed away, and while abhorring the idea, Rose knows there's a very high probability of it happening and soon because of the curse. She just doesn't know when that will be. Rose is stubbornly determined to believe that it'll happen in the distant future, when Astoria has already had a happy, fulfilled life alongside her husband and son, and she hopes that by the time Scorpius gets back, Rose will be able to tell him that his mother is cured and that he's got nothing to worry about.

Rose tries to push away thoughts of loss and Scorpius as she drags her feet down the corridors of the Incurables' Wing with a heavy heart. By the time she reaches the nearest Nurses Station, Rose feels empty.

Leaving on their desk one of the pillows and her tray bar two of the vials, that she decides to take with her along with the magazine, Rose's mind gets away from her. Passing a few gentle words to Nurse Goode, one of her favorite co-workers who happens to be grinning at her today with a glint in her eye that she can't recognize, Rose continues on her way in a bit of a daze, lost in thoughts of Malfoys and little Timmy and her own concerns.

Her mind fixates on the box in her pocket and Rose worries, feeling it heavy on her lime green robe. The weight of what it entails pulls Rose forward with a renewed urge, wanting to meet with Astoria as soon as possible.

It always brings her so much joy to see Astoria, Rose can't explain it. The woman is ethereally beautiful, and old soul, such a kindhearted spirit that just being around her uplifts Rose's mood, even when she's feeling down. Even in her worst days, when work hasn't gone so well, or things with Michael are a bit more strained, or when her family is just being more of a pain than usual.

Astoria has listened to all of it. All of Rose's hurt whenever she has lost a patient, to her ranting whenever Rose doubts if she and Michael are a good fit, to her frustration when her relatives do or say something that upset her.

And, of course, Scorpius.

Astoria has listened to everything Rose has ever shared about him in confidence, and she was surprised to find that Rose was just as good a listener every time she'd found herself in need of someone to hear her out, be it about her curse or her family or her Draco or Scorpius himself. Over the years of her son's absence, the two women became close friends, they both like to think, and neither would honestly have it any other way.

Rose wonders if, in two months time, that will change when Scorpius gets back.

She wonders what else will.

Rose is distracted when she knocks on Astoria's door, entering the private bedroom without another thought the same way she's used to do. Truly, she only minds her manners with the older woman when she knows that Draco is around and visiting time isn't until later, so Rose opens the door, vials in hand, the magazine tucked under her arm and the pillow still floating behind her.

Immediately closing the door behind her and placing the vials and the magazine down on top of a support table to her left, Rose takes a moment to gather her emotions and focus on her breathing. It's not every day that seeing little Timmy gets to her but it's getting harder, and now with the future probably written on the box in her pocket that she's already starting to resent, Rose feels like she might be running against the clock to find Astoria a cure and it hurts her, the thought of possibly not being able to make everything right on time.

"I can't wait to get home and read," Rose comments with a tentative smile, glancing briefly over her shoulder at Astoria, who seems to be happier now than when she'd last seen her that morning. Rose can't help the grin that forms on her own lips at that, something so simple lifting her mood a little. "I found a good book," Rose continues, busying herself with getting Astoria's medicine ready and missing the blond haired boy that's sitting across the room entirely. "Or well, it's not a _good_ book but it's promising, I think. It might give me a new perspective to work with, maybe something new I can try next."

It's rather nonsensical, with Rose being a doted potioneer and avid reader while Astoria has dedicated her life to botany, that neither has been able to come up with a viable solution to Astoria's predicament. It has to be some kind of comical joke, or maybe some higher power trying to test them and what they're made of, but Merlin be damned if Rose isn't determined to see them succeed.

They have to.

"Rose, dear…" Astoria murmurs softly from the bed when she realizes that neither Rose has noticed Scorpius' presence in the room, nor that her son is capable of forming coherent speech - if at all - since Rose walked into the room.

The redhead, however, interrupts Astoria before she can say anything else. "Oh, before I forget!" Rose reaches inside her pocket and retrieves the box from its hiding place. "I got it. I think we should do it toda-"

The words die on her tongue when Rose turns around and sees _him_.

The box falls to the floor before she can help it, the pillow following right behind when Rose loses he focus on the charm.

He looks just as she remembers him, and yet not quite so. When Scorpius nervously gets up from his seat, Rose realizes that he's grown taller, if that's at all possible. His hair looks different too, longer enough on the top of his head to make someone want to run their hands through it while being shorter on the sides. And sweet Merlin, it seems that he styles it now. And dresses better too, more maturely, and all of it together makes Scorpius look good, fits the image Rose always pictured of him whenever she was to see him again, only better.

Scorpius looks every bit a grown up now, and still his eyes and facial features are the very same she remembers, the same she fell in love with all those years ago.

She thought she had time. She wasn't ready to see him again so soon.

"Hi, Rose."

Yeah, she wasn't ready to hear his familiar, always intimate tone just for her either.

He seems to be just as astonished as Rose is to find him there, and yet the warmth of his eyes make it seem as if it's perfectly logical that he wouldn't, couldn't possibly be anywhere else.

Rose feels as drawn in as she did back then.

What can she say to the boy that she initially couldn't stand, then started to tolerate, then got to know and ended up falling in love with, only to have to let go off and not see again for a handful of years, and who is now back, standing in the very same room she's in and looking every bit the man she always dreamed he'd become?

Rose apparently thinks it's best not to say anything in face of the unknown, all the emotions and inner turmoil of the day wearing her out, when Scorpius crosses the room to stand right before her, so close that she can feel him everywhere as if every cell of his body is calling out to her. His breath tickles her cheeks when he speaks, he's that close, and Rose loses all brain function.

Despite the mixed feelings about his departure and how they left things between them, Rose can't deny the simplest, most basic thing.

She's missed her best friend terribly, her lover, her twin flame. And now he's here, and she couldn't feel more thankful for it.

"Hi, Rose," Scorpius repeats in a whisper because he can tell that her mind is somewhere else. His isn't exactly there either. Not in the present, anyway, but rather reminiscing about the moments they shared in the past.

He's always known how to read her, and she's always loved that about him, even if at first she couldn't understand it when it was something as elemental as second nature to him. "Scorpius…" Rose can't bring herself to say much, her eyes never leaving his as if she's afraid he'll vanish into thin air if she dares to look away. "You're here."

Tears prickle her eyes and Scorpius' stance softens, thinking of the last time they'd been together and how they'd both fought so hard to keep tears at bay in what was one of the most life-changing nights of his life. Rose looks very much the same with the exception of her hair, that she's cut and now falls just around her shoulders instead of down her back, the fiery red as beautiful and colorful as he remembers it. Her blue eyes hold his stare fiercely, and Scorpius basks in the lively tones of the blue and flecks of gold he's seen in his dreams every night and that he's missed so much. "I'm here."

She doesn't know what she was expecting. Rose had been delaying the inevitable for weeks now, turning a blind eye to every conversation that reminded her that Scorpius' return was imminent, and knowing that their unresolved feelings would most likely play a big part in their reunion and whatever came of their future, yet Rose had pretended it didn't matter. She'd told herself that she had time to figure something out but, unpredictable as he's always, Scorpius returned early, leaving Rose to decide what to do about it.

A blur of thoughts and memories assault her in a moment, confusing Rose to no end until Scorpius reaches out and cups her cheeks in his hands, his thumbs brushing her skin in the softest caress, dissipating the cloud in her mind because he's always known how to ground her, how to make her feel anything and everything at once the same way he became the safe haven Rose wasn't sure she was still looking to find.

So despite her better judgment, and holding his gaze for an heart-stopping second, Rose acts on impulse, enveloping her arms around his waist and tucking herself against his chest, and it isn't until Scorpius wraps his arms tightly around her that Rose breathes again, feeling as much a part of him as before they parted.

Inhaling the familiar scent he's always associated with her, Scorpius holds on to Rose fiercely and closes his eyes, letting himself enjoy having her back in his arms after so long because he's missed her terribly. His friend, his partner, his other half.

For the longest moment, neither speaks a word and the silence that has fallen in the room seems to appease them, as if allowing them to feel whole for the time being. As if everything is the same as it ever was and always should have been. And regardless of whatever is to come next, the world is theirs and theirs only in that moment. And so they hold on.

And in that moment neither is mindful that an emotional Astoria is with them in the room.

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 **Author** **'s Note** : The next chapter will be from Astoria's point of view, so you have that to look forward to.

Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts so far :)


	3. Chapter 3

"For all the reasons to smile  
In a world uncertain,  
Another comes."

\- ymmw

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 **Author** **'s note** : Enjoy a bit of Astoria and Draco's background :)

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Astoria and Draco have always wanted more children.

Partners from the moment they met, and with a strong friendship that soon developed into something more, Draco and Astoria's feelings have been intense since the very beginning of their relationship. Experiencing a connection they'd never found anywhere else until they met, they fell in love quick and hard, and in a way they always knew they were _it_ for each other. That their story would be one for the ages.

They hadn't been wrong.

Mostly turning their backs on their families, who desired nothing more than for Draco and Astoria's arranged marriage to be nothing beyond a contract of convenience for both parts involved, Draco and Astoria had rebelled and partnered up, deciding that choosing whatever it was that they had - even if, at that point, it was only a flirtatious friendship - was more important than following all the centuries of oppression and repressed feelings that they knew their families had been subjected to.

Despite her deepest hopes, especially at the very beginning, Astoria hadn't really believed that someone like Draco Malfoy could ever develop genuine feelings for her. It seemed unrealistically absurd that they could ever be more than friends, if even that. But Draco had proved her wrong from day one, when he'd figured that he'd rather spend his time getting to know Astoria better than having to sit and listen to their families discussing their impending marriage like if it was the most ordinary of things, as if it didn't matter in the slightest.

Thankfully, from then on, it all had happened quickly.

Within a month, they were close friends. In another, they'd had their arranged marriage all set up. By the time the day came when they became husband and wife, feelings were already in the mix. After the honeymoon, one that turned out to be much more exploratory than they'd hoped and ended up lasting for far longer than their families had ever expected, Draco and Astoria stoop up for themselves and were clear in their intentions to cut ties with anyone who dared try to corrupt them with blood supremacy ideals and the like.

All because they were committed to make their marriage work, like her mother and Draco's father had so distastefully pointed out one day, as if it was the most preposterous thing they'd ever heard. Truth is Draco and Astoria had learned to rely on each other when no one else would believe in them, and refused to listen to anyone who would stand against them.

The issue had always really lied with the parents. While at first Draco and Astoria didn't exactly _want_ an arranged marriage, they came up with a plan that they invested in, a course of action that not only would benefit them and get their parents off their backs, but that would also end up to inevitably bring them closer. And as for the parents, Persephone and Lucius always posed the biggest problem. Granted, Caelum and Narcissa wouldn't openly oppose to their spouses' will, but they never were all that supportive of Draco and Astoria's union on their terms either.

Because truly, even after the war, a big part of the most ancient magical families were still hung up in the old ways. Old habits, as it appeared, died hard.

Resolute in wanting to make the most of their matrimony, Draco and Astoria chose to focus on it above all else. It was trying at first, with no jobs to support themselves and barely any money of their own, in a home that they weren't so accustomed to just yet and with a new reality to live with.

But they made do. And they thrived. And soon enough, wanting a child thumped everything else.

On one hand, Astoria doesn't like thinking about those times much. Having tried to conceive for years without success, and even having lost a baby before she found out she was finally pregnant with Scorpius, took its toll on both her and Draco. Things between them became somewhat strained, and at times a little more desperate, but Astoria likes to focus on all the good things that came from it. How they found out how deep their bond was, how supportive they always were of the other no matter what was to happen.

And of course she will never forget the first time Draco told her that he wanted her to have his child, or the grin on his face when she told him that she finally was.

The birth of little Scorpius had been a joyous occasion in the Malfoy household, and while it was hard to deal with parenthood firsthand without much help from their families, Astoria and Draco enjoyed every single moment of it. And while wanting another child eventually became a desire that they were never able to fulfill, Astoria likes to think that things are fated the way they are supposed to be.

Who is to know if, had they had more children then, they'd still be in London by the time Scorpius was to enroll in Hogwarts? Who is to say that they could even afford it? Would they have gained such an extended family as the Weasley-Potter clan the way they did after what happened in Scorpius' Fourth Year?

Astoria doesn't know, and she never dwells much on it.

What she does know is that in a fleeting moment kids were all around them, spending time with Scorpius during the holidays. That she gained good friends in Hermione and Ginny and Molly and even Angelina and Fleur, the same way that Draco made amends with Harry and Ron and even with George.

More than that, Astoria knows that she gained in Rose the daughter that she ended up never having.

It's part of the reason why Astoria is so emotional at the moment. Watching her son grin, both from being back and from finally seeing his mom after so long, but also for holding in his arms someone who's so dear to him. Watching the woman she came to respect over the years, someone so strong that Astoria most of the time can't believe is still so young, sigh in relief as the responsibilities of the day sag away when she finds herself in her soulmate's arms.

Soulmates.

Astoria, despite being quite the romantic witch in her younger years, had never really believed that they existed. But how can she deny it when she found Draco, out of all the outcomes she'd ever dreamed of for her future? Regardless of all the vile things her mother had always threatened her with, Astoria thrived when she found the best partner in _him_ , her other half, and she knows that she helped him become better too. She knows that, looking back, they were always meant for each other, even when they didn't know it.

And now, looking at Scorpius and Rose, Astoria sees in the intimacy of their embrace the same complicity that she came to find with Draco, months into their marriage, and so she knows they're meant to be as well.

At least, she firmly believes so, and she'll do everything in her power to make them see that.

They stay in their embrace for the longest time and Astoria doesn't have the heart to interrupt them. She knows that they need it. Not only is Scorpius back after the longest time away from home, surely having missed his family and friends terribly, but also Rose can always use a hug after her shifts nowadays. Astoria is painfully aware of the redhead's frustration whenever she sees little Timmy or hasn't had a breakthrough in her research. She knows that Rose is hurting, and sleep deprived, and running on caffeine as she drives herself exhausted because of that big heart she has.

When Scorpius and Rose seem to hold each other tighter, still no more words spoken, Astoria distracts herself by looking around the room with the biggest smile on her lips. She hates the room, sure, because she hates being there, but now her baby boy is back. For all of them and from now on, things can only get better.

It's with optimism that she notices the discarded rectangular box on the floor, just behind Rose. At the realization of what it can only be, Astoria's smile falters a little; no wonder that Rose seemed a little more upset this afternoon when she'd just entered the room. The possibilities have to be weighing on the young woman, Astoria believes.

Rose has been trying her hardest to come up with a cure, or a treatment, or just _something_ to ensure that the curse Astoria has been fated with won't take her away, as it's fated, and now something as simple as a stick can determine whether Rose will have even more to worry about or not.

Discreetly, Astoria _accios_ the box and hides it under the covers, just underneath her hand, not wanting Scorpius to find out about this particular development just yet. He'll need to catch up with everyone first, and learn all about Astoria's condition and prognosis, and only then, if Astoria and Rose deem it relevant and/or necessary, will they share with Scorpius what most likely awaits them.

Meaning that Astoria is almost 100% sure that she's pregnant. After so many years of not even actively trying to conceive again, like a bittersweet miracle. And if she is, it'll be a risk for her own health in her weakened state, Draco will probably not know how to react to the news _at all_ for how worried he's been for her, and Rose will drive herself insane trying to figure out how a pregnancy can influence all of her work so far and how she'll have to change her plans for new paths to take in the future concerning Astoria's cure.

Astoria wishes that the muggle stick would just tell her that _no, you_ _'re not pregnant. So sorry for the bad joke_ so that she wouldn't have to worry anyone over it, but she is so thrilled with the idea that she can barely contain herself.

Another baby. After so long thinking that she'd only ever have Scorpius, the light of her life, for the past week Astoria hasn't stopped thinking about the chance that she is indeed pregnant, and because the universe seems to enjoy making her suffer for wrongs that aren't her doing, now that her life is so abruptly coming to an end Astoria can only believe it has to be true.

She's pregnant with her loving husband's child, and she refuses to be anything other than happy about it. So damned be the universe for trying to screw her up even further, Astoria will do the most of it.

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 **Author** **'s note** : How are you finding the story so far? Sends me your thoughts :)

Next up is Scorpius' POV once more, then probably Draco's.

Make sure to check out my Rose fan art for the story. I'm you-make-me-wander on tumblr and pinterest, youmakemewander on twitter and you_make_me_wander on instagram


	4. Chapter 4

"'Cause I miss you,  
Body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away."

\- Daniel Bedingfield, _If you_ _'re not the one_

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It's with reluctance that Scorpius distances himself from Rose a little, his breathing faltering with every rise of his chest. He's not the only one hesitant, as Rose doesn't seem all too keen to let go of him either. Her cheeks are flushed, he notices with pleasure, the color rivaling the warmth of her hair. She looks just as adorable as she did back then, before he left, even though more mature. He can tell that she's had to grown up quite a lot if the heaviness of her features is any indication.

"You haven't grown an inch," he jokes, knowing it'll make her smile. She always smiles for him.

Her dimples show, her grin so bright that it hurts. "Maybe you've grow so tall you can't tell the difference," she replies, taking a nervous step back.

"I can tell."

Rose swallows dryly. He could always tell the difference with her.

Jolted back to reality, it's with a bit of a surprise that she notices Astoria in the room. _Way to go, Rose, way to go_. Pursing her lips and avoiding the woman's triumphant stare, Rose busies herself with catching the pillow she'd previously dropped to the floor and that could be dirty from the floor, muttering _Scourgify_ under her breath. Preferring to play it safe, she goes stand on Astoria's side that's opposite Scorpius, in case anything else was to happen were they near.

He's a good sport about it, grinning from ear to ear even though she seems to keep some distance between them. "You look well," she tells him, instead of the _you look good_ that she almost lets out.

" _I am_ well. I've been very lucky," he says, his eyes never leaving her.

It's unnerving, and familiar in a way it shouldn't be. Not anymore. Not after so long. Rose decides to ignore it in favor of being grateful for having him back in one piece. "I'm glad. Your parents have been dying to have you back," she mentions with a smile to Astoria, but knows what's coming and really, she's the only one to blame for it.

"We all have," Astoria singsongs with a pat on Rose's hand. "We all have. It's so good to have you back, son." She reaches for his hand as well and Scorpius sits back down beside her.

Rose takes the moment they indulge in conversation to appease her mind and wordlessly check his vitals, performing basic spells to check on his well being. She's brought out of her trance by his raised brow and a smile on his lips. "Were you checking on me just now?"

Rose blushes, caught red-handed. "Maybe."

"I remember well how your _maybes_ are often times _most likely yes,_ " he teases.

Oh, he would know. "Okay, so maybe I was. You weren't supposed to have noticed." She thought she was being discreet. She's mastered the spells long ago to have her patients barely feel a tingle when she examines them. Curiosity gets the best of her. "How _did_ you notice?"

Scorpius grins, excited about finally being able to share with someone - anyone, really - anything at all about his trip now that he's not in dangerous territory anymore. "To study wandlore, you'd think my wand would become an extension of my arm." Both Rose and Astoria nod in agreement. "Funny thing is, the first thing I learned was to study my own wand and pick her apart to her essence, so learning to master non-verbal spells was imperative."

"You weren't half bad at school," Astoria reminisces. "I'm sure you did well."

"I did. I'm the best I could be at casting non-verbal magic, and because my affinity to it is so strong, it's fairly easy to recognize the non-verbal spells of another, especially if they're being cast on me," he grins at Rose, and her heart aches with longing for all the months she's gone by without seeing that lovely smile. "It wasn't hard to figure out what you were doing. But I'm still ten times better with my wand."

He looks so proud of himself that Rose can't help but to be reeled in. "I can imagine. Was it everything you hoped it would be? Are you incredibly powerful now? Should we be worried?," she jokes lightly, enjoying how much she doesn't have to miss him so much anymore. _He_ _'s here_.

"If you knew the things I can do with a wand now…" His response turns her ablaze, and she suddenly wishes Astoria wasn't nowhere near them. Somehow her mind went to a place where the mother of her ex-boyfriend should never be privy to. Even Scorpius seems surprised at the inflection in his words. "I mean- I've learned so, so much these past few years. The very little we learn about wandlore at school? It's nothing compared to everything that's behind it. And there's a reason for it. With great power comes great responsibility, and the power this branch of magic can give someone who decides to pursue it has to be tread lightly." He looks at his mother for a moment first, then he holds Rose's gaze for another. "I know I left a lot behind when I left, and that I've missed on things I'll probably regret missing, but I couldn't have been more proud to have been chosen to take Mr. Olivander's place. He's been a good mentor, and a good friend, and his talent is like no other. I've learned a lot from him. So much will rest on my shoulders when he steps down, more than you can imagine. I can only hope to be a worthy substitute and to maintain and respect his legacy the way he expects I will."

"No one resents you for leaving," Astoria murmurs, cupping his cheeks. "There's a path for each and every one of us, and I believe that was yours."

"Your mother is right," Rose surprises herself saying. "Mr. Olivander couldn't have chosen better. We know what you were capable of then, and we're sure you'll be the best at your job now."

It's not a lie. Although they haven't talked about Scorpius all that often, both women are in the same page whereas confidence in his abilities lie.

The emotion in his eyes catch her off guard when he murmurs "Thanks, Rosie". She hopes he can't see the way her lower lip starts to tremble when she manages to give him a small smile in return.

Busy. She needs to be busy and asap, before she says or does something she might regret. She's never been all that strong when an emotional Scorpius is around. Or when she's emotional herself. Merlin, she's done for… "I should get going, I can't stay for long." Leaving the pillow with Astoria to retrieve the potions she'd prepared for her, Rose places them on the bedside table. "You know the drill," she tells the older woman. "I'll come by in the morning to check on you before my shift." Hugging Astoria swiftly, Rose faces Scorpius one last time. "It's good to have you back, Scorpius."

"It's good to be back," he replies, and she can tell that there's more that he wants to say. With an awkward wave and hurried steps, she leaves the room before he can let another word out.

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"Tell me what you're thinking," Astoria inquires. Ever since Rose left a few minutes ago, they've been talking but she can tell that her son's thoughts are elsewhere.

Scorpius knows immediately that his mom is referring to Rose, and while he wants to talk about it, he feels guilty for having his mind focused on something else than his mother right now. "I'm sorry if I'm distracted. It's been a long couple of days." In his defense, they had been. Traveling from shady Key Port to shady Key Port from the ends of the Earth until he got home took his toll on him.

Astoria tilts her head, catching his eye. "Both you and I know that's not what is upsetting you right now."

Scorpius looks down at his hands to find them fidgety. He hadn't really noticed his agitation. "I wasn't expecting to find her," he confesses. "I knew that I eventually would, but I _just_ got back. I didn't think-"

"But you'd hoped you would. Deep down, you know you did. And that's alright," she says softly. She hates that Scorpius and Rose ever had to break up, even if she understands their reasoning. They've both suffered more than they should have. "She wasn't counting on having you back so soon either. But isn't it a happy coincidence?" Astoria couldn't have planned for it any better if she'd tried.

At that, Scorpius melts a little, a grin appearing effortlessly in his features. "She's more beautiful than I remember her. I don't know how, but she is. And yet she looks just the same."

"You'd be proud of who she's become, Scorpius. Top of her class in her internship, offered a position before even finishing it and practically running the Research Division… She's been through a great deal, but she's been incredible."

"I am. I may not have been here to see it, but I knew she'd be amazing. I was proud of her even before she started."

"So I take it you're still very much in love with her," Astoria comments off-handedly, even though his answer matters to her a great deal.

There's almost a shyness to him when he responds, but it's brave all the same. "I don't know any other way to be."

Glancing at the clock again, Astoria urges him to get up. "You should go talk to her, then."

Scorpius looks indecisive. "I came here for you, mom. I can catch up with her later."

"Nonsense," Astoria dismisses. "I'll be here all night. Rose's shift, however, is about to end. I know it's not ideal, and that there is a lot for you two to talk about at some other time, but I'm sure she'll want to see you again even if it's just for you to tell her goodbye and enjoy her evening."

Scorpius debates with himself for a moment before acquiescing. He tells himself that it's because Rose seems to be his mother's physician and he wants to talk to her about it, which is half-truth. "I shouldn't take long," he says, kissing the top of Astoria's head as he gets up.

He's almost at the door when words he'd never want to hear cut through the air. "I should tell you, you need to know that she's with someone, Scorpius. So see that you act after thinking, and not the other way around."

His chest tightens, and his mouth tastes bitter knowing that he could never blame something like this on Rose. He's the one who left. "Why sending me out there to find her, then? What's the point?"

Astoria smiles mischievously, the way Scorpius hasn't seen her do very often. For some strange reason, it gives him strength. "What you two had was real, and not easily forgotten. Nothing is set in stone, my darling, and if you're fated to be together again, you will be. Until then, I don't see why you can't win back her friendship and pick up where you left things off. Do you?"

With candlelit hope and a lot to think about, Scorpius leaves the room to go find his favorite redhead.


	5. Chapter 5

" _So I marked my skin with you, for I could not bear the thought of not having you with_ me."  
\- ymmw

xxxxxxxxxx

Five minutes of wandering aimlessly through the St. Mungus' hallways later, Scorpius finds Rose at one of the Nurses Station, filling in what seems to be a patient's chart. She's smiling as she makes small talk with one of the older nurses, and Scorpius hangs back waiting for her to be finished. If someone were to ask him, he'd say it's obviously out of politeness, not wanting to interrupt Rose as she works; in truth, however, he knows that it's just so he can look uninterruptedly at her, to confront his memories of Rose and see how well they've stayed true to all that she was, all that she now is.

She really doesn't seem to have grown at all. Having towered over Rose since their Fifth Year, just when they started getting closer (and thank Merlin for that, they'd been about the same height until then), Scorpius was a good foot taller than her by the time he left. He's always enjoyed their height difference though; the way he used to wrap his arms around her and rest his chin on top of her head, how she had to get up on her tiptoes if she wanted to kiss his cheek or pull him down to snog the life out of him, the way she relished in feeling the slightest bit taller whenever she straddled his lap if they found themselves in privacy.

The older nurse elbows Rose to divert the redhead's attention to Scorpius' presence - which makes him feel a bit like a stalker, _great_ \- just when a certain part of him started coming to life for where his wandering thoughts were going - which makes him feel like a deer caught in the headlights, _all the better_ -, and Scorpius is jolted into moving before his embarrassment gets any worse.

Rose seems apprehensive at first but ends up laughing when Scorpius waves awkwardly at her, bidding farewell to her colleague with a " _Have a nice weekend, Agnes_ " that sounds entirely like all the sweetness Scorpius has missed from Rose while he was away. Being back won't be easy by a long shot, but being far was much, much worse.

Rose beckons him over as she continues jotting down notes and Scorpius meets her at the desk. "Fancy meeting you here," he jokes lightly, remembering all the times they'd said it whenever they wanted some alone time in one of the empty corridors or hidden passageways of Hogwarts.

She takes a moment to respond as if she's taking a moment to herself, and Scorpius likes to think that it's because Rose's thoughts went to the same place his did. When a few seconds pass and she says nothing, Scorpius realizes he might have gone too far - _she_ _'s with someone, you git!_ -, but Rose surprises him by replying the same way she always did; a small, shy smile playing at her lips. "We meet again. What can I do for you, Mr. Malfoy?"

Scorpius remembers Rose being far more flirtatious in their day, but he'll take whatever he can get. "I just wanted to… You know, see you. Talk to you. It's been a while, if you haven't noticed." He's rambling and he knows it all too well, but Rose has always had that effect on him. "But I can see that you're busy."

He leaves it in the open, not really wanting to be the one to suggest that he should leave because she's working. He doesn't want to leave at all, and Rose sees right through him, as always. "It's alright. I'm just finishing up," she tells him, gesturing for the chart in front of her.

Scorpius puts aside the thought that, according to his mother, Rose will be leaving the hospital in a few minutes as soon as he notices that the patient's name in the chart is that of Astoria herself. "My mom. Are you her physician?"

His question is laced with both worry and amazement, and Rose is reminded of all the times when Scorpius had found out something about her that he thought was completely extraordinary. "I am, yes." Feeling her mouth dry suddenly, Rose is assaulted by all the pressure she's been feeling lately, having known that he'd be back sometime soon and that she'd have to be the one, along with his parents, to catch him up to speed on Astoria's nefarious condition. "We'll have to talk about her, Scorpius, but I'd rather not do it today. You just got here and I'm sure you're tired, and there's a lot for you to be acquainted with."

And with that thought, Rose is reminded that she left Astoria without addressing the pregnancy test, even though they'd gone through the - granted, fairly simple - procedure several times in the past week. Guilt pools in Rose's stomach regardless, despite knowing that Astoria would never hold such a simple thing against her. All of their moments seem important, all the more when they know they are on borrowed time even if Rose refuses to accept it for a second.

She's grown to love Astoria too much to ever think otherwise.

The weight of Scorpius' question threatens to suffocate her, and his eyes betray how, deep down, he wants to know everything about his mother's condition when his apprenticeship has had everyone keeping information from him. Having been undercover in several occasions, and on remote parts of the planet in others, Mr. Ollivander's instructions had been clear. For Scorpius' sake, and of his mission, Scorpius was to only be contacted in case of an emergency for reasons that Rose committed to memory the second they first discussed it. When undercover to gather rare ingredients, invaluable knowledge or information, Scorpius could be found out. On the other hand, keeping the mysteries of both who was to be the next wandmaker of a generation and where had Scorpius Malfoy fled to after graduation kept the tabloids going. Thankfully, not many had made that connection, and clues on the truth was so scarce that they ended up not being pursuit. Third, being a Malfoy still had it's weight, and even though these weren't the dark days of their parents' time anymore, enemies still showed their faces at times, and everyone feared the repercussions of an eventual hostile situation.

All in all, Scorpius had been kept in the dark about pretty much everything that happened in the outside world in his years abroad, especially about those he cares for the most, save for the occasional short message that Mr. Ollivander allowed his apprentice to exchange with his parents, and solely to appease all their minds. Trusting the older man to look after their boy, Astoria and Draco had relied on the man's word for the past few years, knowing that if something bad were to happen they'd know immediately. Looking back on it now that Scorpius is home, Rose understands why it had to be that way; for his safety, and for the complexity and responsibility that the craft demanded from him, a branch of magic too powerful for just anyone to delve into. While he'd been excited and accepted the task bestowed upon him with pride and eagerness, and regardless of how humble he had always been about it, Rose knows that Scorpius will have plenty of changes to adapt to once he finds out all he's missed on.

It's part of the reason why, despite trying to keep his imminent return off her mind, Rose has worked on tidying all the information she's gathered so that she could go through it with him when the time came.

"I-" Scorpius watches Rose struggle for a moment, as if she's trying to find the right words for what she wants to say. "I've put together a file for me to go through with you. I knew you'd be in the blue about most of your mom's condition, and some aspects of it aren't all that easy to understand without the right background knowledge of ancient curses, human anatomy and medical expertise. While I know," _all to well_ , she added to herself, "how smart you are and how you soak knowledge as if you need it to breathe..." A small smile plays at her lips at that, remembering one of the things she liked most about him. "It's a lot to take in. I'd rather we do it when you've had some rest on you, and have enjoyed being back for a little while."

Scorpius lets out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. From the little information he got on his mom's condition while he was away, he's never really known just how serious it was or wasn't. The only assurance he ever got, both from his parents and Mr. Ollivander, was that it wasn't grave enough for him to come back. From Rose's speech now, he wonders whether they've been keeping the seriousness of it from him.

Answering his silent question, Rose adds with a bittersweet note "Try not to worry, we still have time. You should make the most of being back. I'm sure you've missed your parents like crazy."

That has to be the understatement of the century. He hopes he won't be so homesick ever again. "My parents, Albus, you… I've missed you all a lot," he confesses unabashed, and Rose ignores the way her heart beats a little faster. "Even the whole Weasley clan, honestly. I'd give anything to never be in such loneliness again. It was hard."

Rose reacts before she can stop herself, and her hand finds his to hold in comfort. "I can't imagine," she murmurs, looking down at their connection, lost in thought. "We all missed you too."

Scorpius tries hard not to focus on the way the skin between his thumb and forefinger tingles with Rose's touch, and briefly he wonders if she can see past the incantation to reveal what lies hidden, marked on his skin as a promise to never forget her. "I hope I came in time to catch up. I'm assuming I missed on a lot of things."

Rose meets his eyes and smiles softly. As she recalls the main revelations that he might find most unexpected, or even shocking, Rose finds herself grinning. "You haven't a clue. You're perfectly on time to be taken by surprise by most of it," she lightly jokes. "Have you had the time to read any magazines?" Rose lets go of his hand and jots down a few words on a small piece of parchment, then proceeds to finish her notes on Astoria's chart. "The Daily Prophet, perhaps, or any of the other tabloids?"

Scorpius is intrigued as to why Rose prefers to pen her notes instead of just using an enchanted quill, but doesn't voice it in the moment. Rose has always been a _certain way_ kind of girl, always liked doing things on her own terms. It has him smiling right along with her. "No, I haven't. Took an International Portkey to one of the Ministry's safe houses just across the street and came right in. I haven't even had the time to meet with Mr. Ollivander since being back, even though that was supposed to be my first stop had mom not been here. He understood though, of course, so here I am."

"Here you are," Rose repeats to herself, finding that it doesn't hurt as much to accept that as she thought it would. "Then I would suggest, Mr. Malfoy, that you stay clear of any newspapers you come across if you want to have your mind blown with all the news," she teases him, predicting that he'll meet with the brood soon enough and find everything out. "I'm sure you'll have a rather eventful, flabbergasting weekend."

"What are you keeping from me, Rose?," Scorpius asks interestedly, noticing her playful tone. "Did I miss on something good?"

Scorpius has never really been one to gossip, but Merlin, he'll most likely be stunned. "It would depend on your definition of _good_ , but I think it's safe to say that's putting it mildly," she replies, meaning it about almost everything that concerns every single member of the Weasley clan. "I'm not telling you, though."

"Now come on, Rosie. You can't do that," Scorpius scolds mockingly, leaning forward a little.

"Oh, I can and I will. No amount of sweet _Rosies_ is gonna have me bursting that particular bubble. It'll be so much better if you find out by yourself."

His eyes darken, and Rose knows her mistake the second they do. His voice comes out so raspy that she has no choice but to face the reality that not only it still sounds exactly the way she remembered it, but that she brought this upon herself. "Yeah. You always preferred it when things were a bit more formal to get you to do something for me. Isn't that right, Ms. Weasley? I remember."

Rose is surprised by how hot his words make her feel. How can it have been so long and he still seems to have the same power over her that he did before he left? It's the strangest thing, and yet not at all. Pretending her cheeks aren't the color of her hair, Rose puts down her quill and turns around. Whether just to put the chart away or to escape his burning gaze, Rose would never dare say out loud. Seems they'll have a hard, hard time walking the fine line between their friendship and something else. Rose hasn't a clue why she ever thought it would be any other way. Diverting the subject is probably for the best, she decides. "It's Lily's birthday this weekend, as I'm sure you remember."

Scorpius takes a moment to respond, studying her reaction closely. Maybe there's still hope for him, for _them_ , even if it'll take patience and effort that Scorpius is no doubt willing to put in.

"I know." Growing up, Lily had been like a little sister to him, and it had been part of the reason why Scorpius had come home a little early now. Missing everyone has been pure hell, but he'd be damned if he'd miss his second favorite redhead's 21st birthday. Who'd fend off potential gits who might be interested in getting it on with her? Certainly not James, who's always been too much of a nutcase to ever care about anything other than his Quidditch career. And definitely not Albus, mooning over Alice Longbottom ever since she gave him the time of day. Now Mrs. Potter, of course, was another case entirely, and yet not so comforting for Scorpius. He's heard of her days at Hogwarts and has seen Lily want to go down a similar path back in their days at school when boys started to interest her, and despite being away for so long, Scorpius hopes that he can still play the part of her third big brother. Merlin knows he's missed it. "I was hoping to get here in time to surprise her. I've missed her energy a lot." And that's downplaying it. Lily has enough energy to lit up a room.

"You've missed her craziness, you mean?" Rose asks, feigning shock. She of all people knows how much Scorpius has always cared about Lily, and Rose still finds it as sweet as she did when she first became enamored of him. Not to mention that Lily was one of the main reasons Scorpius and Rose got together in the first place. _Details_. "In all seriousness, she'll love knowing you're back. And for her birthday, no less."

"It's not the only reason I'm back," he says simply, and part of Rose wishes he hadn't said anything at all. "It's not even the main one, as you can guess."

Rose is left wondering whether he means just Astoria's condition, missing his parents or something - _someone_ \- else. "You'll make her day, regardless. She idolizes you."

"That little firecracker is something, isn't she?" Scorpius smiles, reminiscing about all the trouble Lily had gotten herself into growing up, when she made sure to let everyone know just how much Weasley blood she had in her. She was worse than Fred and James together ten times, no doubt.

"We're getting together tomorrow night at the Burrow, for dinner, before hitting the town. I'm sure Grandma Molly won't mind to add another plate to the table, if you want to join us." Realizing that it sounded like all the times she'd invited him to dinner with her family before, and that the circumstances are fairly different from then, Rose clears her throat. "The whole gang is going to be there. Everyone will want to see you, I'm sure. What better way to catch up with us all?," she says offhandedly, trying to sound nonchalant even if she's feeling anything but.

 _Anything to spend more time with you_ , Scorpius thinks, _even if it means facing the madness that is the whole Weasley clan at once_. "I'll take you up on that offer, if you're sure your grandparents won't mind. I can't wait to see everyone."

"And everyone can't wait to see you." _More of you_ , she means but doesn't say. And she really means it; even her father has fallen for Scorpius Malfoy's charm, in all impossibility. "Just floo there at around 7. I'll let Grandma Molly know you're coming."

"Great," Scorpius mumbles, feeling like they've been talking for an age and knowing that not only he's keeping her from work, but that Rose will be going soon. If only being with her wasn't so easy… "I'll leave you to it, then. I've taken enough of your time," he tells her sheepishly.

 _Not enough_ , Rose thinks to herself. _Not enough_. "What are your plans for the next few days?," she finds herself asking. "I mean, with work, of course." _Nice save there, Weasley_.

Scorpius knows her all too well, or so he thinks, so he covers all his bases. "I'm staying with mom until I can today, and then I'll go home with dad. I haven't seen him yet and Merlin, do I miss sleeping in my bed." He catches Rose giving him a look that says _I miss sleeping in your bed too_ but Scorpius decides not to comment on it, pretending he missed it. It's been hard enough navigating the range of emotions that this simple talk between them has already gone through. "I'm meeting Mr. Ollivander in the morning at the shop, and then I'll meet you at the Burrow later in the day. Other than that, I haven't really found the time to plan anything else."

Rose nods in acknowledgment, making her way from behind the desk to the hallway until she's in front of him. "You could meet with Albus in the afternoon tomorrow, perhaps. He's been insufferable waiting for you to get back," she chuckles lightly.

"That would be great. Where can I find him these days?" He raises his eyebrows suggestively. "At the Longbottoms, I hope?" It hurts Scorpius a little to think that his best friend has gone on with his life and he knows nothing of it, but he can only hope that everything went well for his friend. Having fallen madly in love with Alice midway through their 6th Year, Albus and Alice had been on an on and off relationship up until Scorpius left. He hopes his friend has sealed that deal.

"I think you're in for quite the surprise, Scorp."

He doesn't know whether to focus on the fact that Rose's nickname for him slipped out so effortlessly, or that there is a possibility that Albus still hasn't figured out his relationship with Alice after all this time. "Don't tell me he and Alice aren't together still? It's been four years!"

"Oh, I'm not saying anything," Rose teases him, mischief in her eyes. "Since you'll be in Diagon Alley in the morning anyway, why don't I tell Albus to meet you at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch? He'll be beyond himself to finally see you, and you'll most likely find out what's been going on with him."

"That'll be great, but why aren't you telling me what's happened?" He eyes her suspiciously. "Have they married?" Rose watches as color drains from his face. "Don't tell me they've married. I was going to be his best man, oh Merlin…"

Rose raises her hand to stop his pacing as soon as it begins. Albus and Scorpius have always had a flare of drama between them; a true bromance, as it were. "Don't worry, they're definitely not married."

"That's not better," Scorpius lamely complains.

"You'll know what I mean. And Albus is on duty tomorrow, anyway. He'll be plenty busy but you'll see what I mean the second you lay your eyes on him, I promise."

"I miss my best mate, Rosie, and you're not making it any better. You're mean."

Rose bites down on her lip gently, her mouth relaying the words she didn't want to want to let out before her mind can stop her. "I remember a time when that wasn't an issue."

Is the air impossibly hotter? Scorpius swears the air around them is impossibly hotter. _Damned hospitals_. "And it isn't. It never was."

Rose has to stop herself from swaying on her feet, compelled as she is to get closer to him, even taking a step back for good measure. It's been emotional enough for the day, and it's best that she doesn't do something she shouldn't. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Malfoy."

Scorpius hates how much he loves when Rose is mischievous like that, always has. Oh, he's missed how she can drive him bonkers. Merlin, how he's missed _her_. "Ms. Weasley…" Knowing in every fiber of his being that it's wrong, Scorpius takes a step forward anyway, and he can't help himself from letting out "I look forward to it" before walking away, and Rose is left with no choice but to go home to her boyfriend, all worked up.

Toeing the line between her and Scorpius will be a challenge, that's for sure, but will either of them be able to resist the pull to step on the other side?

xxxxxxxxxx

It's with astonishment, to say the least, that Draco Malfoy arrived at Room 478 after such a long day at work to find his son relaxing on one of the armchairs by Astoria's bed, both so lost in the moment that neither of them noticed his arrival. And it was a good thing too, because it gave Draco a brief stolen moment to just give thanks for his family.

Almost three hours later and after a rather emotional reunion, Draco is sending his son back home hurriedly to unpack, with the promise to meet him there soon for dinner. The reason for Draco to stay behind? Astoria's bedroom eyes, which she never, _ever_ has cast upon him while at the hospital. Even if Draco knows that they're most certainly not getting it on when they're in a public facility and there's a high risk of them getting caught, Astoria's gaze is, to say the least, bound to leave the man intrigued. Admittedly, the choice between reconnecting with his son or spending time with his wife is a tough one, but given the circumstances, and knowing that he'll have Scorpius home for the whole night - and hopefully indefinitely, at least for the foreseeable future -, he thinks it can pass for understandable.

Hooking a _Mumbling Jane_ to the door handle - one of the many Weasley's ingenious inventions, even Draco has to admit they have their days, this one in the form of an old lady in a small door sign that starts mumbling under her breath whenever people with the intent of engaging with or interrupting the sign's owner is approaching -, Draco looks at Astoria curiously , wondering what she's all about. "Want to tell me why you wanted your son out of here?," he drawls jokingly, and Astoria immediately scowls.

"I did _not_ want Scorpius to leave."

Draco tilts his head and cocks an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised by her playful mood today. It hasn't been that way lately, unfortunately. Not so much, not like before, and he knows the disease and her medicine are to blame for it. "And yet, you did. Care to tell me why?" Astoria looks down at her hands on her lap, even blushing as if she's embarrassed with her own behavior, and immediately Draco crosses the room to hold her face in his hands. "Hey, I was just teasing you." It's been difficult to find a balance lately, between her potions-induced mood changes, and the being on and off the hospital constantly. Draco is often at a loss of what to do or say, afraid to act the wrong way when he doesn't know what it could mean given her curse, even if he tries his hardest not to think about it. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

Astoria smiles a little, turning her head to kiss his palm in reassurance. "You didn't, don't worry about it. I'm just nervous."

"Nervous?," he asks in confusion. "You looked anything _but_ nervous."

Knowing what he means, and excitement turning her insides into mush, Astoria brushes his lips with hers. "What did it look like, then?"

"Why, Mrs. Malfoy," Draco kisses her fully, the way he wanted to do the second he got to the room had their son not been there. "Like you're looking for trouble. Or some alone time with your husband. Perhaps both."

Astoria chuckles and pecks his lips once more, sitting up straighter in the bed. "I promise you, husband of mine, the second we are out of here we're making up for lost time. It's bee too long."

He agrees, and yet "It's only been three weeks."

"It's been three weeks too many. Damned curse…"

"Yeah," Draco murmurs, touching his forehead with hers, hating that she's been spending more and more time at the hospital at a time. "Damned curse." Brushing his thumb against her cheek, Draco sits on the bed facing her. "I missed you today…"

"Don't you always?," Astoria asks coyly.

"Only sometimes," he remarks sarcastically, entwining his fingers with hers on her lap.

Astoria sees all the love and care and commitment in his eyes that she's always seen there, practically from the very beginning of their relationship, and her stance softens. She really couldn't have asked for a better partner, and it makes her want to try her hardest to give back to him as much as he's always willing to give her. Taking a deep breath, she reaches underneath the sheet and retrieves the bag that Rose had brought her earlier. "Then perhaps this will make your day better."

Draco looks at the ordinary paper bag, unsure of what it could contain inside. "Did you get me something?"

Astoria would laugh at his response, weren't she becoming overcome with anxiety. "You could say that." He glances at her quizzically, and her nervousness makes her ramble. "Well, I don't know myself. I'm not sure. It's why I got this, actually."

"So… You got me something to be sure whether or not you got me something?"

She can tell that he's half confused, half joking, and a strange energy can be felt between them. Anticipation rises and Astoria finds herself urging him. "Look into the paper bag, would you?"

Draco barks a laugh at the way she's behaving, having no clue what's expecting him but enjoying their banter all the same. Thankfully, large letters tell him exactly what he's looking at, otherwise he'd have no idea. Taking a moment to digest the information, Draco takes the box out from the paper bag and just stares at it, and keeps on staring until Astoria's voice cuts the silence.

"Tell me what you're thinking."

She sounds hesitant, and Draco hates the way her voice wavers. Meeting her gaze, he finds apprehension laced with expectation, worry and excitement intertwined so deeply that he can't help but share them and let himself get lost in the same feelings, like it's always happened with them. Both empathetic in their own ways, they've learned to balance the other out in ways Draco never thought possible. Merlin, he can never imagine his life without her. "You're pregnant?," he whispers, as if saying it out loud would break the spell.

Astoria fidgets in her lap, gathering her strength to let him in on everything she's already gone through with Rose. "There's a fair chance that I am. And _I think_ I am, yes."

"But you're not sure," he tries to make sense of what she's trying to say.

Astoria shakes her head no. "That's why Rose got me a pregnancy test."

Draco isn't all that surprised to find out that Rose already knew about this, since the girl has been a constant presence in their lives for years now, being especially close with Astoria. Still, he's not sure what to make of it. "I don't understand. Rose is a Healer. Couldn't she have done a spell to know whether you are expecting?"

"She didn't want to risk it. First, because all spells and incantations aimed at me could have an unexpected effect, as you know, even if the Pregnancy Spell is a fairly simple one. And second, because all wands are examined at the end of each shift, Rose was afraid that the results, either being positive or negative, could alert one of the Senior Healers to my condition and have them intervene with her research, one way or the other. And either way, there's always the risk of a breach of confidentiality and our story, whatever it turns out to be, could end up in the papers. Rose thought better not to risk it, given the circumstances."

"You really do trust her," Draco finds himself saying even though there's no surprise there. Astoria loves her, and he has to admit that he has a soft spot for the girl as well.

"Of course. I don't think I'd ever trust my treatment to anyone else."

Sometimes Draco wonders whether this is completely blind faith, and irrelevant for a future he's not ready to accept, but he chooses to trust his wife instead. "What is this, then? Is it Muggle?"

"Yes," Astoria says, glad for her husband's support. "It's a standard Muggle Pregnancy Test. Rose is fairly confident I'll get an accurate result with it, and there's no risk of whatever result we get ever leaving this room if we destroy it after I take it. When we find out, I'll let Rose know so that she can adjust her research accordingly. Poor thing has been running ragged, worried about both possibilities and how it'll affect her work."

"How long have you known?," Draco asks, glancing between his wife and the box in his hands.

"Only a few days. At first, I think it was just wishful thinking. Then the signs became a little more clear. But it's not the same as it was before, with Scorpius and the others, and it's been so long since then that I was afraid I could be misreading the signs altogether. So I had to tell Rose since it could be something related to the curse. We spent the last week going over my cycle, and things I did, or ate, that could have influenced my symptoms. We realized it would be easier to confirm or dismiss our theory by just taking a test and going from there. Rose just got it for me today. It's why I wanted some time alone with you as well. We can decide whether to tell Scorpius about this afterwards."

Draco licks his lips anxiously, trying to make sense of the turmoil of feelings inside him at the moment before lifting his eyes to hers again. "And?"

"I don't know. I didn't want to worry you before knowing for sure, but I also didn't want to take the test without having you with me."

He blows out a breath, handing the box to her. "Okay. So how do we do it?"

"You're going to love this," Astoria chuckles softly. "Apparently I have to pee on it."

Draco scrunches his nose. "What?"

"Rose explained to me all about how a change in hormones, that could be caused by pregnancy, can create a chemical reaction with a strip on that stick. Since drawing blood from me isn't an option unless it's really necessary, and Rose wouldn't really know what to do with it anyway, unless she was to run to a Muggle hospital to have it tested - and Merlin knows that could bring all kinds of trouble in and on itself -, urine is a much more effective, painless and easier way to take the test."

"Muggles are crazy," Draco mumbles, looking the package weirdly. "Couldn't Rose do the spell with someone else's wand so it wouldn't be on record?"

Astoria shakes her head, giving her husband a pointed look. Even despite spending more time with the Weasleys than he ever thought conceivable, and given Scorpius' interest in everything Muggle, Draco still has some aversion to Muggle things that he can't, or doesn't want to try, to understand. "She thought it would be too risky, giving my condition. One always fares better with their own wand, and isn't this a good way of finding out anyway? It's safer, at least, and we're sure it'll work just the same."

Draco concedes, not wanting to upset Astoria even though there still are Muggle things he can't really comprehend. "So… Do you just do it?"

"I guess," Astoria murmurs, but Draco can tell that she's nervous.

"Hey," he says, cupping her chin in between his fingers. "No matter if it works, and whatever the result is, we'll figure it out, alright?"

Astoria takes a moment to find the right words to say, and when she voices them, Draco realizes that she said out loud what he's thought for the longest time. After all they've been through with Astoria's failed pregnancies, both before and after they had Scorpius, it's a bittersweet feeling. "I want it to be positive, Draco. We've wanted it for so long and I know we've grown accustomed to the idea that we were ever only going to have Scorpius, but now… I really want it to be positive. Regardless of my condition, I want it, and it both excites me and terrifies me."

Even though he finds himself conflicted in the same way, Draco pushes aside his fear for the time being, and surprising Astoria he captures her lips with his in a searing kiss, only stopping when they need to catch their breaths. "We'll take our days the same way we've been doing ever since you were diagnosed. We'll take our days one at a time, and we'll figure it all out, no matter what the Muggle stick thingy says, I promise."

Astoria chuckles and catches a tear from the corner of her eye before it falls, grinning at him. "I'll be right back then."

Draco watches her go, and time seems to drag by as he waits for his wife to come back. Antsy about the whole situation, jittery, Draco starts pacing the room, unable to stay still. When Astoria returns to the bed, her eyes are fixed on the stick in her hand, and Draco swears he can hear his heartbeat in his ears. "So?"

"We have to wait," she tells him, settling down again and placing the test on her lap. "Two minutes."

Draco sighs. "These are going to be the longest two minutes of our lives, aren't they?," he asks, sitting beside Astoria in the hospital bed that he loathes so much, draping an arm over her shoulders. She leans in to him and Draco kisses her temple, her cheek, her nose, until her attention is diverted from their future in her lap back to him. "Before we find out, I want you to know that no matter what happens, I love you. With all my heart. I'm yours, same as I've always been."

"Even if there might be more of me to love in the near future?," she jokes, already attached to the idea, even if she knows how much of a risk it will be.

"Especially so," he tells her, remembering how alluring and radiant Astoria had been when she was carrying Scorpius, and finding that the prospect of ever seeing her like that again could be so dangerous, and yet so lovingly welcomed. "I love all of you, never doubt that."

She never did, not even in the beginning of their partnership when they barely knew each other. "As I love you," she kisses him, resting her forehead against his cheek and settling on the crook of her neck comfortingly. "We'll take the future as it comes."

"We will," he assures her. "Together." Astoria holds his gaze for a lingering moment, and suddenly she wishes they weren't in the hospital at all. Draco shares the sentiment. "Ready to find out?," he questions, never looking away from her as if he's in a trance.

Astoria nods resolutely. "One line is negative, two lines is positive." Draco is sure that the fear and enthusiasm in his eyes are mirrored in her own, and his hand rests on top of the one of hers that's holding the pregnancy test. He can't tell if his hand is the one that's shaking, or if it's hers, or both. "On three," Astoria licks her lips anxiously, her eyes not leaving his until the last moment. "One, two, three."

She feels breathless, and scared, and as if her heart will escape her ribcage for how nervous she really is. The conflicting emotions assault her, and beside her Draco is as silent as she is. Glancing at him, she finds him livid, and that's saying something for his usually fair complexion. Her husband's hand trembles on her own and she tries her best to steady it, but they're both shaking. When a moment passes, then two, Astoria feels her breath coming short with emotion, and then the sobs start. She finds consolation in Draco's arms but he feels as strong and weak for the moment as she does, and she finds that he's started crying as well. The laughs come next, and the shy, then easy smiles take over them. Before she knows it, Draco is kissing her lovingly the way he does when they're intimate and it's just the two of them, and for the time being all of their worries are forgotten, and Astoria has to admit that she has never wished so much to be out of this forsaken hospital as just now.

Gasping for air, they part, looking down between them where the test dropped on top of the sheets, and it's with pure joy that they study the two lines that stare back at them.

xxxxxxxxxx

 **Author** **'s note** : I wanted the whole Scorpius/Rose interaction to reflect the way they were with each other when they dated, and that they'll have a lot of trouble keeping from now. I wanted it to be a little sweet, a bit flirtatious, a tad serious and emotional enough. They'll walk the line as they go, sometimes misstepping one way or the other, and I can't wait to explore it further.

As for Draco/Astoria, their initial reaction to the pregnancy is that of parents that have wanted another child, and have been denied it for a long, long time. However, as we delve further into Astoria's condition as Rose will explain it to Scorpius in a couple of chapters or so, I'll try and explore both sides of the dilemma: Astoria's, because she wants to keep the child knowing that it might be her last chance at being a mother again because she sees her own death as impending, and Draco's, who'll struggle between wanting another child and the high probability of it aggravating considerably his wife's health, rushing Astoria to a demise he hasn't yet come to terms with.

As a side note, I decided not to write Scorpius reunion with Draco because we'll get plenty of time to explore their relationship after Astoria dies, and I'd rather go into Astoria and Scorpius' bond now since it'll be so important to the story. Regardless, please assume that Draco and Scorpius have a great relationship, because they do, even if it'll be hard for Scorpius to deal with his mother's pregnancy since he accepts and understands both his parents' views on the matter.

We're in for a ride.

Last but not least, what do you think is up with Albus? That'll be another fun subplot! On a second side note, the story will be changing POVs a lot since there are so many characters, and one of the main subplots will revolve around Lily and her friendship with both Scorpius and Rose, both with each individually and together, since she'll play a key role in getting the pair back together again. There'll be plenty of other subplots going on and I'll try to present them one at a time, and I can't wait to update again already!

Next up, Scorpius meets with his best mate and there's Lily's birthday dinner party, where a rather important scene with Scorpius and Ron plays out.

Let me know what you're thinking of the story so far in the comments below. Until next time xx


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